The former London 2012 chairman edged out pole vault great Sergey Bubka in a vote at the IAAF Congress in Beijing on Wednesday.

Coe takes over athletics' world governing body at one of the most difficult moments in its history and, here Press Association Sport rounds up some of the reaction to the Briton's election.

"Brilliant news!! Congrats @sebcoe! #athletics" - Martyn Rooney, Great Britain's team captain at the World Championships in China

"We have a man who has devoted his life to the sport." - outgoing IAAF president Lamine Diack

"Congratulations @sebcoe The future of our sport is in good hands. Thank the Lord!" - Great Britain's women's marathon world-record holder Paula Radcliffe

"I know that athletics in the future will grow, and become stronger and stronger." - pole vault great Sergey Bubka after being beaten to IAAF presidency.

"We look forward to a positive and strong relationship with the new President in his avowed plans to protect the rights of the clean athlete." - World Anti-Doping Agency president Sir Craig Reedie

"Many congratulations to @sebcoe on election to President of the @iaaforg. #sebcoe" - Sally Bolton, managing director of the London 2017 World Championships

"We've got the right guy leading the sport through difficult times in the coming years." - UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner

"I would like to congratulate my friend Sebastian on being elected as the President of the IAAF - I am looking forward to working closely with him over the coming years for the good of our sport." - European Athletics president Svein Arne Hansen

"Seb winning I think is a great opportunity for the sport." - Steve Cram, 1,500m silver medalist at the 1984 Olympics

"We have been impressed with his vision for the sport, his dedication to its cause and his demonstrated effectiveness as a leader." - statement from USA Track and Field

"It is a fantastic result in two ways. It is great for us as a country that our best-known sports leader is now in charge of the major Olympic sport, but in a sense more importantly, it is great for athletics because athletics has got some difficult times ahead and it needs a leader of real stature to guide it through.

"Athletics above all needs a really strong and credible leader, a leader who can grow the sport, because it has slightly lost its way.

"I think Seb's unique blend of experience as an iconic athlete himself and as a sports administrator who has won a bid and delivered a Summer Games, which are the two most difficult tasks in sport, makes him the perfect man at this time for the sport." - Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport between 2010 and 2013